Hotline
by DiosBaraTiddies
Summary: Connor Mackey lives a poor life. A single, neglectful mother, a younger sister, and a stray dog in tow. As much as he hates it, he puts up with it...until his mom lands herself in the hospital. The poor boy seeks consolation from his local suicide hotline. The person on the other side consoling him is Ted Bundy. Ted Bundy fanfiction sorry not sorry
1. 1

Connor sighed, eyeing the battered phone sitting on the counter. He continued to scratch behind Layla's ear, the Weimaraner giving the 15 year old's hand a slight nudge. Connor averted his eyes from the phone to look into Layla's ice blue eyes. A small and weak smile stretched across Connor's face as he leaned down and pecked the dog's light reddish-brown nose. Sarah May had said to call the hotline and talk to someone about it and Connor knew that the people on the other side would listen, but would they care? He doubted it. After all, he was just a stupid hormonal teen going through a "phase". Connor hoped that, just like his family's low income, that his self hate was just a phase. Turning away from the phone, Connor stood up and started walking to his room in the ratty, rundown apartment. Layla whined, tilting her head in confusion. Connor stopped to look at the sweet dog. He just smiled that small, helpless smile once more and shook his head.

"Not today, Layla. We don't want to bother those nice people."


	2. 2

The next day, having ran all the way home from school with his sister, Effie, and his best friend, Sarah May, he flopped into the couch. His face was red and his hair was messy but he wore a smile. Layla was running around in circles and begging to play. Sarah flopped onto the couch next to him, her blonde bob bouncing a bit. Effie did the same, her long dark brown hair flouncing a bit more. Connor thought Sarah and Effie were both pretty. They both had big wide doe eyes, Sarah's green and Effie's blue. Connor didn't like his hair or eyes. His hair couldn't decided whether it was blonde or brown and his eyes were a brown-green. Effie said his hair was a wonderful color and Sarah May said his eyes were serene, like ocean water. Layla calmed down and curled up next to the couch, her face resting on her paws. Connor was about to close his eyes and fall asleep before the phone rang. Sarah stood before Effie or Connor could.

"You guys just sit, I'll go see who it is." Sarah walked into the kitchen. The siblings could hear her cheery 'hello?' before silence took over again. But it wasn't comfortable. Something was wrong and both Effie and Connor could feel it. The Mackey siblings looked at each other, exhaustion gone from their system. Sarah May ran back into the living room, holding her hand over the receiver. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide.

"Guys, you gotta listen to this." Connor stood up and took the phone.

"Are you Connor Mackey?" A female voice asked. It sounded like Connor's mom's manager, but he couldn't be sure, since he only met her once.

"Yes, this is he. What's the matter?" Tension filled the air as he heard the woman on the other side sigh.

"Your mother has been injured. A man entered the store while your mother was stocking up some things. She thought he was another customer and didn't think anything of it until she got hit in the head with the butt of a gun he had been holding. He then beat her and stole her wallet. She's currently in the hospital-"

"Yes, yes. Okay, thank you for informing me." Connor interrupted the woman and hung up. He turned to the girls, both hugging each other.

"Eff, mom's in the hospital." Effie's eyebrows tilted upwards, her face hopeless.

"Again? But how are we going to pay?" Connor shook his head and ran a hand through his hair as he began to pace.

"I don't know." Sarah May stood up. She knew she couldn't help, her family was poor too. Sarah smiled sadly, looking at the siblings.

"See you guys later?" The two nodded, both muttering a lifeless 'seeya'.

Later, while Effie was crying upstairs (as it seemed the only thing to do), Connor ran to his room and picked up the phone. He dialed a number that he had forced himself to memorize. A man picked up the phone. His hello sent shivers down Connor's spine. The young teen took a deep breath before speaking.

"This is the suicide hotline right?"


	3. 3

The man on the other end was silent, so Connor took that as a yes.

"How is life worth living? How, if everyday, you go to bed hungry and worried that your mother might not come back home?" The man still didn't speak. Connor hiccuped as he started to sob. A shuddering breath echoed from Connor. Connor prepared himself for more speaking before acting upon it.

"How is it worth it when you've no one to tell how you feel, when you've no one to tell you not to hate yourself and make you believe. Because I can't stand feeling this way. Because I can't stand hating myself and feeling selfish for wanting a shoulder to cry on because my family is in such a rough time. How is it?" Silence seemed to ring forever until the man spoke.

"Finished?" Connor nodded before realizing the man couldn't see him, and muttered out a shaky 'yeah'. The man took a deep breath before talking again. His voice became soothing after a while, the New England twang to his voice giving Connor solace. It seemed like years as the man comforted the teen. Finally, their conversation came to an end, which Connor didn't want.

"Now kid, I understand how you feel. And I want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to, just call this number and ask for Ted." Connor mumbled a little 'yessir' before bidding the man goodnight. Connor went to bed that night with the man's kind words and uniquely addicting voice playing through his head. It haunted him, rerunning in his mind every time he closed his eyes. From his voice, Connor made a character. Dark hair, wise eyes with a mysterious glint, a strong jaw. Lean muscles and strong arms to hold him in when he felt like this. And of course, that voice. The young teen came to a conclusion that he would go to the ends of the earth to find the man. But after more thinking, Connor pushed the thought to the back of his head. Men wanted pretty girls, not troublesome guys and thinking otherwise was just plain silly.


	4. 4

For a couple weeks, Connor had been calling the hotline nightly. Always asking for Ted, always getting the same addicting masculine voice after the saccharine voice telling him that they'll direct him towards Ted's number. Soon, it was all that filled Connor's mind wherever he went. Running home from school, biking around Seattle, taking Layla to the park and especially during tests at school. But even with his being smitten, the underlying doom of his mother's incapability to work loomed over him just like his strict homeroom teacher. Sooner or later, he and Effie wouldn't be able to pay for food for themselves or Layla. This thought plagued Connor every waking moment when he wasn't thinking of Ted. But in the middle of doing his homework, the dirty blond thought of something that could cheer him up. And even though it took him all the courage he could possibly muster, he did it. After finishing his homework, Connor hurriedly dialed up the hotline. Without even having to ask, the operator sighed and directed the teen's line to Ted's. The man barely got a simple 'hello' out before Connor interrupted, jittery with excitement.

"Are you doing anything right now?" Ted was taken aback, Connor could tell. But either way, Ted responded with a little-

"No. Why do you ask?"

"You know where Centennial Park is, right?"

"Mhm." A large grin spread across Connor's eager face.

"Great. Meet me there in 15 minutes."

"Wh-" Connor hung up and ran to go get his shoes on. Startled by the loud thumps of her brother's excited steps, Effie peeked out of her room.

"Where you going, Conny?"

"Just for a bike ride. I'll tell you how many animals I see once I get back." Effie fist pumped. She loved animals. Grabbing his windbreaker, Connor hopped onto his bike and pedaled off as fast as he could. His bike was rusted and the basket had fallen off the front ages ago, but it was the best he would get and it still worked just fine. He reached the park in record time: 6 and a half minutes. That would give him time to cool down and not look sweaty and gross.

And Connor was given time to cool down. It took way more for 15 minutes for anyone to arrive at the park and it wasn't Ted who came. It was Ruth, that one weird girl at school. She was nice enough and waved hi to Connor as she passed. After a couple more minutes of waiting, Connor stood up, regretting calling Ted and asking him to meet up with him. It had already started getting dark and Connor needed to be home anyways.

Grabbing his bike handles, the blond teen started pushing his bike home. He watched the wheels turn and crunch the small rocks on the concrete path, thinking of the ways to apologize over the phone tomorrow and wallow in his remorse. Just as he looked up, he almost collided with another guy. Sheepishly, Connor backed up and apologized.

"Sorry sir, I'll be on my way." Before Connor sidestep out of the way, the man laid a hand on the teen's thin shoulder. The blond tensed, frightened beyond belief. Wide eyes stared up at the man, Connor's heart starting to beat faster and faster.

"Connor?" A gasp left Connor. He'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Ted!" Connor grabbed Ted in a hug and held him at arms length. Eyes sparkling, Connor observed Ted up and down, drinking up every little detail he could see in the fading light. A grin graced Connor's face again, making him positively glow. He looked just like what Connor wanted him to. Down to the worry lines on his forehead and the faint laugh lines on his handsome adult face.

"You're better than I expected!" Ted let out a chuckle and shook his head.

"Such a kid."


End file.
